This is a sad little one-shot that came to me after I'd finished watching series 4 again. The song "It will be me" is from the second Brother Bear movie. I was sad about what hapened to Donna, this song came into my head, the plot bunny bit and.....voila! Centered Italics are the song lyrics. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, although please don't flame. If I have made any serious character/canon errors, please let me know nicely and I'll fix them up.

Enjoy

If you hear a voice, in the middle of the night,

The girl twisted and thrashed, lost deep in her nightmare, unable to wake up. It was coming for her, getting closer.....closer.... She never quite knew what 'it' was- it was always changing. Sometimes it was a strange bald creature, with a mass of tentacles where a mouth should be and glowing red eyes. Other times it was a towering monster, breathing fire and made of stone, or a giant wasp, its wings buzzing furiously. But now, it was a shining bronze monster, as tall as a man and shaped like a pepper pot. But there wasn't just one of them, there were hundreds- filling the skies, and heading straight for her.....she gripped the covers hard, her red hair fanning out across the pillow. She was so afraid, it was coming.....closer....closer....

Saying it'll be alright-

But then she heard the voice. A voice filed with power and wisdom, lonely and weary with age, yet kind and full of hope and life....a voice that sounded so familiar, and yet so alien, like a half remembered dream....the voice of a man, saying her name.

"Donna Noble- you're brilliant!"

This voice....she could never put a name to it, but she treasured it. It chased away the nightmares, and made her feel safe. Like everything would be ok, somehow. And as she settled at last into a peaceful sleep, something told her that this was the voice of a friend.

It will be me.

And high up in the sky, floating amongst the stars, a man sat in a little blue box, staring into nothingness. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. Alone, he felt so alone. Because somewhere, on the little blue planet below, his best friend lay asleep, unaware that he even existed. Unaware of just how much he still cared, how much he missed her. But she would never know. She would never know that the voice that comforted her in her dreams belonged to the man who had been her best friend- this heartbroken, lonely man, floating amongst the stars.

If you feel a hand, guiding you along

He'd been lonely, she'd been his friend. He had been out of control and she had tamed him. She had shown him a new way of thinking, and hadn't been afraid to tell him he was wrong. He'd needed that. He'd needed her. And sometimes he'd think of her, and what she'd say if she could see him now.....and that would make him better, and steer him right again. It was like she was still there, he just couldn't see her. And then he'd laugh at the thought of what she'd have to say if he told her she was his invisible friend.

When the path seems wrong-

He never gave second chances- he never had. And once there was a time when he would have shown no mercy at all. He was full of anger and fire, and he'd let it consume him. But like those before her, she'd stopped him. He needed someone to stop him, and she'd told him so. And he remembered that. And when he found himself on the wrong path, when he found himself becoming the monster he'd once been, he remembered what she'd said to him once.

"Doctor- you can stop now!"

And he would. For her sake. Because she wouldn't want him to be like that. She'd want him to do better, to be better. Because he could.

It will be me.

Sometimes, the girl would be passing through a busy crowd, and she'd see a face. A man's face, smiling. But then he'd catch her looking, and the smile would vanish and be replaced by a look of mild panic, and shock. Then she'd blink and he'd be gone. But the girl could still swear that she had seen him somewhere once before, like something out of a dream....but she'd dismiss it just as quickly, and continue on her way, never noticing that the same man was now in the crowd behind her, the smile of joy replaced by a smile of sadness.

There is no mountain that I won't climb.

He'd do anything, anything if things could be different. It wasn't fair that she had to forget. It wasn't fair that he had to be alone again. He'd do anything for things to be they used to be.

For you I'd swim through the rivers of Time.

He'd break the laws of Time in an instant if it meant that things could be different, but he'd never been a selfish man, but for once in his life, he wished he was. He wished that he could think of himself without having to think of the consequences, because he truly would go anywhere, do anything to have his best friend back, and never have to be alone again.

As you go your way, and I go mine,

But there was nothing to be done. She was living her life, an oblivious life, a normal life. And he was living his. Travelling....running....alone. And she'd wanted to come with him, had wanted to be with him forever, but it couldn't be. And so he'd left her on the Earth, and she'd left him alone.

Our light will shine.

But he'd always remember her, and he wouldn't be the only one. Across the stars, on other worlds, her name would be sung in gratitude. For all she'd done. She'd brought freedom into their lives, and hope into his. Hope that he wouldn't have to be alone anymore. But here he was, with everyone gone. Some by choice, others by necessity. But everything they'd ever done together, every smile, every adventure- that would live on. In him. And he'd always remember, and he'd always be there, watching over her, thinking of her.

And it will be me.

A part of her would always be with him. And although she'd never know it, a part of him would always be with her.

It will be me.

Yes, the Doctor would always be watching over Donna Noble.